


Thin Walls

by AniPendragon



Category: RWBY
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Barebacking, Except Technically it's "We Share a Shower Wall" Sex, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Getting Together, Ironqrow Smut War, M/M, Masturbation, Mutual Masturbation, Phone Sex, Romance, Shower Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-25
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-05-28 22:45:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6348628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AniPendragon/pseuds/AniPendragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James and Qrow are neighbours in their university's apartment building, but neither one has ever met. Their schedules are too different, their worlds too unaligned. But they share a wall – their bathroom wall – and it’s through that wall that everything begins.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thin Walls

**Author's Note:**

> Songs, in order, are "I'm a Woman" by Smokie Joe's Cafe, "On My Own" from Les Mis, "Hooked on a Feeling" by Blue Swede, "Come Away With Me" by Norah Jones, "Come and Get Your Love" by Redbone, and "I Get Off" by Halestorm.
> 
> Comments are love!

University sucked, Qrow thought as he stepped under the spray of the shower. More importantly, grad school sucked _even more_. Qrow had thought, once, that becoming a teacher would be fun. But then he’d decided to go into counselling as well, and support work, and suddenly he needed another three years of university to do it all. Three years of university with eight solid hours of class a day, and that wasn’t counting homework or his work at the garage on weekends.

He sighed and tilted his head back. Hot water sluicing down his body and warming his cold bones. It was late. It was late and it was fall and it was _shitty_ outside. But he’d had to work today. Something about student loans or independence or some bullshit. He couldn’t remember what Summer had said when she’d talked him into getting a job. He just knew he needed the money, badly.

Qrow lathered up in the shower, humming to himself as he tried to remember when his next essay was due. Humming usually cheered him up, but it was failing him tonight, so he switched over to singing along to the song stuck in his head.

 _“Get up at six and start it all over again!”_ he sang, hips and shoulders swaying in the confines on his shower. He kept singing, voice growing louder and more powerful with each verse.

He paused for a second to grab the conditioner, and nearly jumped when another voice picked up the next verse.

 _“But if it’s lovin’ you’re lackin’, I’ll kiss you and give you the shivering fits!”_ Qrow laughed at the new voice from beyond the wall. It was the wall directly behind him, so the pipes were probably shared between their showers.

Qrow picked up the next verse and sang it with the mysterious guy on the other side of the wall, and when they finished, he found himself laughing loudly again.

“Damn,” said Qrow, raising his voice. “You’re pretty good.”

“You’re not so bad yourself,” said the voice on the other side of the wall.

Qrow smiled and leaned against the wall, letting the water rinse off the last of the suds. “Well, I gotta head to bed,” said Qrow. “But nice singing with you, man.”

“Take care,” said the voice.

Qrow turned off the shower and grabbed his towel to dry off. As he got ready for bed, he couldn’t stop smiling. Who knew his mysterious neighbour had such a nice voice?

Qrow climbed into bed that night with a soft chuckle. That duet would probably never happen again, but it’d been fun for the moment.

A week passed with Qrow’s regular routine. He went to class, the garage, and Tai’s apartment with Summer and Raven. Summer was working on her master’s degree in psychology – and Qrow still didn’t know how she could handle _this much work._ Raven was out working in clubs as a bartender, and Tai was working hard in his ConEd program.

“What if I end up in a bad school?” Tai asked one night while they were studying. “What if all the kids hate me?” He chewed on his nails, which were already ragged and red.

“You’ll be fine, Tai,” said Qrow. He reached over and ruffled Tai’s hair. Tai leaned into it a bit and Qrow rolled his eyes. The guy worried way too much sometimes. “Anyway, no matter what school you end up in, you’ll end up doing something amazing for those kids. Just the type of person you are.”

Tai smiled at him and Summer piped up with, “He’s right, you know,” from the couch. She rolled over and tugged Tai’s hair, making him lean back so she could kiss him. Qrow rolled his eyes. Damn couples. It was better than watching his sister make out with one of them though, so he let it slide and went back to his work.

“Yeah,” said Tai a minute later, breathless. Qrow looked up to see Tai staring at Summer with dilated pupils. She smirked at him, cat-like, and propped herself up on her elbows, laying on her stomach on the couch.

“Aaand that’s my cue to leave,” said Qrow. He grabbed his books and stuffed them in his bag.

Summer called after him as he walked toward the door, “Sure you don’t want to join us?”

Qrow chuckled and turned. “Summer, you’re like the sister I never had.” That got a snort from Tai. “And I cannot, in good conscious, get naked in the same room as you.”

“Besides, hun, he’s gay,” said Taiyang. “Wouldn’t be into it.”

“Oh, I’d be into _you_ just fine,” said Qrow, winking lewdly. Taiyang choked on his own spit while Summer broke off cackling. “Later, Summer.”

“Later, Qrow,” she said. Taiyang was still sputtering. Qrow laughed as he left their apartment. Tai was too easy to fluster sometimes. Part of what made him such a great friend.

Qrow jogged home, tugging at the collar of his light jacket. It was too damn cold not to have a proper coat, but he hadn’t bothered to go get one yet. Too much to do. He had tests to study for, practicals to work on, work to do.

When he got home, he tossed his coat over a chair and groaned. The freezing rain had sunk into his bones and he needed a shower something desperate.

Shucking his clothes as he went, Qrow padded into the bathroom and turned on the spray. He ducked under it, letting the heat warm him down to his toes. Didn’t bother to shampoo or anything yet, just let the water pour over him.

Then, over the spray, he heard, _“And I know, it’s only in my mind. That I’m talking to myself and not to him.”_ It was Shower Guy, as Qrow had taken to calling him in his head. He recognized the song too, from Tai’s ‘Adventures in Being Cultured’, as Raven put it.

 _“And although I know that he is blind, still I say, there is a way for us,”_ Shower Guy continued. Qrow licked his lips and tried to remember the next lines.

It took him a few more lines to get the guts, but when it hit the next part he knew, he turned around and sung it right back to Shower Guy.

 _“The trees are bare and everywhere the streets are full of strangers,”_ Qrow sang back. There was a pause as Shower Guy fumbled, having gone silent halfway through Qrow’s line. Halfway through the next line, Shower Guy piped up again, and the two ran through the rest of the song together, Qrow fumbling on the lyrics once or twice.

When it was over, Qrow laughed and leaned against the wall they shared.

“So, Les Mis?” asked Qrow, lifting his voice. Shower Guy laughed, the sound low and warm. It matched Qrow’s laugh pretty well and made Qrow smile.

“Yeah, a friend of mine had me go see it live,” said Shower Guy. “She’s big into musical theatre, although Wicked is her favourite. You?”

Qrow grinned and combed his fingers through his sopping hair. “Buddy of mine loves romantic dramas. He’s seen Les Mis on DVD like eight times now.”

“So you’ve seen it what, seven?” asked Shower Guy.

Qrow laughed again, body shaking under the spray of the shower. He grabbed the shampoo and lathered up. “Yeah, something like that.” He ducked his head under the spray to rinse. “Where’ve you been?”

“Classes,” said Shower Guy. “I usually shower earlier in the evening or really early in the morning, but I skipped today.”

Qrow hummed. “Fair ‘nough,” he said.

“Speaking of which, I have to be up in seven hours, so I’ll talk to you later,” said Shower Guy.

Qrow grinned, feeling bold. “Promise?”

There were a few long seconds of silence, then a laugh. “Sure, promise.” Qrow’s grin brightened. “Later.”

“Later,” said Qrow. He heard the other shower cut off and hummed, grabbing the soap. If he was humming Les Mis songs, well, it wasn’t a bad musical anyway. And Shower Guy was pretty cool for knowing them. The guy had good taste.

Another few days passed and Qrow found himself keeping an eye out for activity in his neighbour’s apartment. Shower Guy and he had vastly different hours. He left earlier than Qrow and came home earlier, from what Qrow could gather, and that was really cramping Qrow’s ability to figure out who the guy was. He kept his regular showering schedule, hoping to talk to the guy again, but didn’t have any luck.

It wasn’t like it was a big deal. The guy was cool, and Qrow wanted a friend in the building, but other than that, it didn’t bug him. The singing was fun, anyway. But really, it had been luck they’d bumped into each other twice like that so close together.

Then, one morning, luck struck again when Qrow stumbled out of bed at five in the morning. He hadn’t finished his assignment last night and had woken up early to see if he couldn’t polish it off.

He climbed into the shower, resting heavily against the wall as he tried to wake up. God, he really hated mornings. But he needed to do well on this assignment.

Qrow ducked his head under the hot spray and blinked the sleep out of his eyes. He had a routine for bad mornings. Hot shower, loud singing, and then three cups of coffee.

So, he started singing as he grabbed his shampoo, _“I can’t stop this feeling, deep inside on me!”_

 _“Girl you just don’t realize, what you do to me,”_ came Shower Guy’s voice from the other wall. Qrow jumped, suddenly much more awake from the shock, and grinned, a soft laugh slipping passed his lips.

He kept singing, their voices blending together as Shower Guy kept up as well. _“I’m hooked on a feeling!”_ the two sang together. Qrow laughed as he sang, swaying in the confines of his shower and singing into the spray of his shower.

When they finished, both of them laughing hard, Qrow leaned into the spray again to rinse.

“How about another song?” asked Shower Guy.

Qrow grinned. “I think it’s your turn to pick,” he called back.

“Hm, so it is,” came Shower Guy’s amused reply. “How about… _Come away with me in the night…_ ”

Qrow blinked. _God_ was that a pretty voice. Smooth and soft, perfect for that kind of song. “’Fraid I don’t know it,” said Qrow. He grabbed the soap.

“Oh, well…”

“Nah, keep going,” said Qrow, lathering up. “I was enjoying it.”

“Oh.” Shower Guy sounded embarrassed. “All right then.” He started singing again, his voice warm and constant as Qrow stood under the shower spray and watched the suds rinse down the drain. He found himself leaning against the wall that connected their showers as he listened. A soft smile on his face and his eyes closed as he swayed gently.

 _“Come away with me…,_ ” finished Shower Guy. Qrow sighed, soft enough that he was sure Shower Guy couldn’t hear him.

“What’s your name?” asked Qrow, his voice a little hoarse.

“Uh, James,” said Shower Guy.

“James,” echoed Qrow. He smiled, knew it showed in his voice. “I’m Qrow.”

“Nice to meet you,” said James.

Qrow laughed. “You too. So, I think we definitely need to coordinate showers, because _damn_ I need to hear more of your singing.”

James laughed too, but the sound was more modest and embarrassed. Qrow grinned and grabbed the conditioner.

“Seriously, Jimmy, I gotta hear more. What other cheesy love songs do you know?” teased Qrow.

There was a snort. “It’s James.” Then, “I get home at eight, most nights.”

“Nine thirty for me,” said Qrow. “Meet me here at ten thirty, say, day after tomorrow? We can chat while we shampoo.”

James laughed again. An incredulous thing that had Qrow smirking into his shower spray. “Sure thing, Qrow. I’ve gotta get ready for class. Later.”

“Later,” said Qrow. He heard the other shower turn off and couldn’t help but grin. Okay, so maybe Shower Guy – and James was a _great_ name for him – was still just a voice. But he was a nice voice who was enough interested in talking to Qrow to schedule a shower, so Qrow would take it. Maybe someday he’d find the body that voice belonged to. Until then, the voice would be fine.

So Qrow spent the next two days doing his own thing. He managed to get the assignment done, went and hung out with Raven at the bar she worked at, and even managed to get a decent amount of sleep. And when ten-thirty came, two days after the shower talk with James, Qrow stripped down, climbed into the steaming shower, and waited until he heard the spray on the other.

“Hey, James,” called Qrow, grabbing shampoo.

“Hey, Qrow,” James called back. There was a long pause and then, “This is the strangest meeting place I’ve ever had, you know that?”

Qrow laughed. “Fair. How often do you get to know people in showers?”

“Separate ones?” asked James. Qrow snorted, surprised by the joke.

“So you _do_ have a sense of humour,” said Qrow, grinning.

The mirth in James’ voice was almost physical. “Sometimes.” Qrow laughed again, feeling it tug at his face. He got a hell of a face workout just from laughing with James in the few times they’d stumbled upon each other.

“So,” said James after Qrow had gotten shampoo into his hair. “I do believe it’s your turn to pick a song.”

Qrow hummed, thoughtful. “You know, I think you’re right. Lessee…” Qrow thought about it for a long moment, then kicked off the first line, _“Hey, hey, what’s the matter with your head? Yeah.”_

James snorted. “Really, Redbone?”

“You know it?” asked Qrow.

A scoff. “Of course,” said James. _“Hey, hey, what’s the matter with your mind and your sign? And a, oh oh oh.”_ Qrow chuckled and picked up, letting their voices bleed together as they went through the song.

 _“Come and get your love,”_ they sang together, and Qrow felt his cheeks heat at the low pitch to James’ voice. Bad brain, bad, bad, brain. He wasn’t going there with just a _voice._

As the song wound down to the last lines – a few more repeats of “come and get your love” and a lot of “lalalas”, Qrow found his face heating a bit, realizing how suggestive the song could come off. And how many damn love songs they seemed to be singing together.

He wondered if James noticed. Or cared.

“So, what’re your major?” asked James after a minute of silence after the song.

“Psych,” said Qrow. “Going into counselling. You?”

A whistle. “Engineering, structural, mostly.”

“Damn. Brains right there,” said Qrow.

“You’re a university student, you’re hardly brainless yourself,” said James, drily. “Especially to go into psychology. I can scarcely wrap my mind around my own head, let alone everyone else’s.”

Qrow laughed and grabbed the conditioner. “What can I say?” he said. “I like to get under people’s skin and see what makes them tick, Jimbo.”

“It’s James,” said James and Qrow laughed again.

The two talked for a while in the shower before Qrow had to get out and James said, “Same time Friday?” and Qrow had grinned when he’d agreed.

So they met up in separate showers, talking between the wall on Friday, then on Sunday, then on Wednesday. And almost every other day after that for an entire month. They chatted about this and that, sang a ridiculous amount of songs – musicals, show tunes, pop songs, really lewd stuff from the 90s – and learned a lot about each other.

And yet not once did either one of them suggest meeting each other face to face. Qrow wondered if James was just content with a shower wall friend – Qrow mostly was, though he would have preferred to be able to get a coffee with the guy or something.

But then, maybe James preferred the quiet, the almost… intimacy, of just chatting through their shower walls. There was a sort of warmth Qrow got, and not a completely innocent warmth, at that, at the knowledge that he and James had only ever spoken when both of them were naked. It made him flush sometimes, thinking about it.

Qrow knew he was attracted to a disembodied voice. To the soft, low rhythms of James’ singing and laughter. To the words that spilled from those unseen lips. He knew so much about James – about his dreams and his tastes, about his friends and his work. And James knew a lot too – about Tai and Summer and Raven, about Qrow’s hopes to help out kids in the system, about his job down at the garage.

Come to think of it, they both knew enough about the other to _accidentally-on-purpose_ run into the other. But they never did. Qrow was tempted, sometimes, but he didn’t want to ruin what he and James had.

So Qrow didn’t. And, a month into their friendship, he was waking up at five am the second time. He was bleary eyed and foggy as he stumbled into the bathroom, half hard from morning wood and more than a little uncomfortable.

Qrow was about to turn on the shower to deal with it when he heard a soft moan from the other side of the wall. He froze, eyes wide, hand halfway to the tap. The sound came again. Then a sharp gasp.

With weak knees, Qrow leaned against the wall and slid to the floor, staring into the doors of the sink cabinet, unblinking and unseeing. He listened to the soft sounds of James and the noise of the other shower. Stared at the sink cabinet as his face grew hot and the flush moved throughout his body.

His briefs were tight – and fuck why was he still wearing them? – and heat had pooled low in his belly. He bit his lip, hand halfway to his shorts before he even realized what he was doing. He froze, jerking his hand back from his stomach. It would be _wrong_.

Then, “ _Qrow_.” For a second, Qrow thought James knew he was there, but that was impossible. He’d been silent… then it dawned on him the _other_ reason James would be calling his name in the shower. _Oh._

Qrow felt his entire body go scarlet. Felt his cock jump _hard_ in his briefs and suddenly it was painful to even breathe. Qrow scrambled to his feet and to the kitchen, where he downed enough instant coffee to give most people a heart attack fast enough to burn his mouth. He did his homework, ate breakfast, and _absolutely did not_ think about the way James had sounded when he’d called out Qrow’s name. Nor the reaction he’d had to it.

Nope. Not at all.

After that, Qrow purposely de-synced their showers for a couple days, just so he didn’t have to face what had happened.

But when he came home at the end of that week, he needed a shower, and he figured it was still too early for James to be there, or home, for that matter. So he chanced it, climbing into the shower and turning it on. He braced himself against the wall, eyes closed, as the hot water sluiced over him.

And then the thoughts he’d worked so hard to shove back returned to his head. James, braced against the wall. His voice rising as he stroked himself. And god, Qrow had no idea what he looked like. Didn’t bother to try and fill it in. He focused instead on the voice. On the cries and moans that James had made in the shower. On the way he’d said Qrow’s name.

Qrow swore and pressed his back to the shower wall, arched as he took himself in one hand. He bit his lip to keep down on the noise. Stroked himself as he thought of James.

Focused on the warm laugh and soft chuckles. On the deep rumble of his singing voice versus his higher, but still low, voice when he spoke. Qrow twisted his hand. Jerked a little harder. His breathing was sharp and shallow in the shower spray. He imagined how James would be. How he’d probably be firm, but still have some give. How he’d probably grip Qrow from behind, arms wrapped around him.

Qrow whined loudly, lips falling open as he leaned his head back. His eyelashes fluttered. “ _Shit.”_ His strokes picked up speed. Faster and faster until he was bucking into his hand.

He could feel it. The breath ghosting his throat. The warmth around his cock. Hear the soft chuckles as imaginary James whispered, _“You can do it.”_

He gave a sharp cry, jerking into his hand. Heat pooled low in his belly. He bit his lip to try and keep the gasps and moans coming from his lips. He couldn’t stop them. Didn’t really want to. His noise swallowed the sound of the shower, his entire body shaking.

Imaginary James sang around him, his voice low and rumbling as he sang some of the dirty songs he and Qrow had enjoyed together. And then, as the heat in Qrow’s body reached a crescendo, imaginary James whispered, “ _Come for me, Qrow,_ ” and Qrow came screaming James’ name.

When he came down, entire body shaking and shower having mostly cleaned him off, Qrow felt shame curl in the pit of his stomach. Shame because he’d heard James in a private moment and had used that to fuel his own fantasies.

And that shame ruined his brief afterglow as he wondered if he’d ever be able to talk to James again, after that.

With a sigh, Qrow turned off the shower and headed for bed. And in his frustration, he didn’t hear the sound of the other shower, switching on, moments after he left the room.

Another few days passed and Qrow found himself at the bar Raven worked at one night. It was lady’s night, and Raven was flirting up a storm with all the younger college ladies, making sure they didn’t drink too much and watching the ones they did order for creepy guys closing in on them.

Qrow stared at his own drink, some fruity thing he didn’t recognize the name of, and sighed for the third time in so many minutes.

“If you don’t stop, you’re going to deflate like a popped balloon,” said Raven. Qrow raised an eyebrow at her bad metaphor and Raven shrugged. “Don’t look at me, I’m a drop out.”

“You also took accounting,” said Qrow. Raven shuddered. She’d always been good with numbers, but she’d never been able to stand them. Qrow didn’t know _why_ she’d thought she should go into accounting, but it had all worked out. She’d met Summer in one of her business classes, and that had been the start of one of the greatest relationships Qrow had ever seen.

“So, what’s going on with my favourite little brother?” asked Raven.

Qrow gave her a flat look. “We’re twins.”

“I’m older,” said Raven, grinning. She set to work on mixing another drink.

“By five minutes!” protested Qrow, exasperated. Raven leaned over the bar to flick his nose. Qrow pouted.

“You should listen to your older sister, I give great life advice,” said Raven. She slid the drink to one of the women sitting down the bar with a wink. The woman smiled and turned to giggle with her friends. Qrow shook his head. God, she was a hell of a flirt. “So, what’s going on?”

Qrow thought about how to phrase it. “There’s a guy,” he started. Realizing a second later how bad that sounded. Or cliché, really.

“Love trouble,” said Raven, amusement in her voice. “Oh, do tell.” She leaned over the bar, arms folded on the counter.

“Not… love trouble,” said Qrow. At least, he didn’t think it was. “We met in the shower.”

Raven’s eyebrows went up. “ _What?_ ”

“Our showers share a wall,” said Qrow, quickly, cheeks burning. “He heard me singing one day and sang along and we ended up talking.”

Raven laughed. “You really do have some of the strangest ways to meet new people,” she said, shaking her head. But her voice was fond, so Qrow figured she wasn’t too disturbed. He also remembered the _other_ strange meeting place – the first time he met Summer, she’d fallen off the roof of the psych building straight into Qrow’s arms, one storey down. That’d been one hell of a hospital visit.

“We’ve been talking for a little over a month now,” said Qrow. “But we’ve never actually… met.” He winced.

Raven’s eyebrows shot up again. “You’ve been talking to this guy through a shower wall for a month? Damn, no wonder you’ve smelled so much better lately.”

“Raven,” said Qrow, voice low and eyes narrowed.

“Qrow,” she shot back, twisting his annoyed tone into something teasing. “So, what happened?”

Qrow braced himself. “Things were going great until last week. I went to take a shower one morning and I heard him… well, you know.” His cheeks pinked and Raven’s eyes went wide. “And he called my name at the end.” He bit his lip and stared at his drink, letting his eyes dart up to look at Raven through his bangs.

“Damn,” she said, quietly. “So, what did you do?”

“Nothing!” said Qrow, eyes wide. “I… I de-synced our showers for a couple days so I didn’t have to think about it. Then…”

“Then?” prompted Raven.

Qrow groaned and dropped his head to the counter. “Two nights ago I was in the shower and I might have… done the same thing. Thinking about him.”

Raven let out a low whistle. “That’s uh. That’s one way to deal with that.” There was a touch of amusement in her voice that made Qrow glower at her. She switched to something more serious. “So, you’re attracted to him.”

“Yes?” said Qrow, though it came out as more of a question. “As a person, I mean. I have no idea what he _looks_ like.”

Raven sighed. “God, I wish I could drink at work,” she muttered, putting her head in her hands. Qrow gave her a flat look. “Look,” she said, straightening up again. “You need to talk to him. Sort this out. Obviously you both wanna fuck the other, and you’ve been talking for a month?” Qrow nodded. She shrugged. “So talk. It’ll be fine.”

“Says you,” muttered Qrow.

Raven gave him a flat look. “Qrow I told a girl with a boyfriend I wanted to sleep with them both and now I’ve been _dating_ them both for two and a half years. I think I know _something_ about honesty in relationships.” She shrugged at the end, a little smirk on her face.

Qrow blinked. “Fair point.” He grimaced. “You really think it’ll go well?”

“If it doesn’t, point me the direction of his apartment door, and I’ll kick his intangible ass,” said Raven. She slid another drink down the bar, flashing a toothy grin at the girl who’d asked for it. “Got it?”

Qrow laughed, soft. “Got it,” he said. “Thanks, Rae.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she waved him off. “Now get out of here, your moping is bad for business.”

With a roll of his eyes and a nod, Qrow slid off the bar stool and headed for the door, shouting “put it on my tab!” when Raven protested his bill. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and headed back to his apartment.

When he got there, he lingered at the bathroom door for a minute. It was almost midnight, too late for James to be up, but he still hoped…

The shower on the other side of the wall clicked on. With a whispered “thank you” to whatever deity had been listening to him, Qrow stripped down and climbed into the shower. When he climbed in, he started singing, softly, then louder, until his voice could be heard by James.

 _“I get off on you, getting off on me,”_ he sang. _“Give you what you want, but nothing is for free.”_

He heard the soap drop in the other shower and grinned. “You okay, Jimbo?” asked Qrow.

“You heard me,” came James’ voice, panicked and tight. Qrow swallowed hard and licked his lips. Kept his voice level and light.

“I did,” agreed Qrow. He leaned against the shower wall. “And I think that song makes my opinion pretty clear.”

He heard James clear his throat. “I mean, it was pretty obvious anyway.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” said James. “I, uh, heard you, the other day.”

Qrow felt his cheeks go scarlet. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” came James’ embarrassed reply. “Is this… going to make things awkward between us?” James’ voice was soft and vulnerable, and Qrow felt his chest tighten in response.

“That depends,” said Qrow, his voice hoarse. He took a step toward their shared wall, splayed his fingers on the cool tile and imagined he could reach through the less than one foot barrier and touch James. Could stroke his chest and touch his lips. Run his fingers through his hair – presuming James had hair.

“On what?” asked James. He sounded closer. Qrow wondered if he was leaning against the same wall, on the other side. Felt his heart speed up at the thought.

Qrow licked his lips. “Whether or not you want to do it again, together, this time.”

There was a long moment of silence. Silence except for the spray of two showers, slightly out of sync in pressure. It was long enough, painful enough, that Qrow wondered if he’d made a terrible, terrible mistake.

Then, just loud enough for Qrow to hear, James said, “Okay.”

Qrow swallowed hard. Even at the thought, he could feel the heat pooling low in his belly. Could feel himself growing hot all over. He bit his lip, wondering if it would be too much to ask to do this right here, right now.

“Qrow?” came James’ slightly worried voice. Qrow bit back a moan, his body oversensitive to the way James said his name. His mind went back to the day he’d heard James. Filtered one “Qrow” over the other. But he forced himself back to the present. He’d been silent too long, to get that low pitched worry. But it sounded oh so good.

“Yeah,” said Qrow. His voice was hoarser than it had been a minute ago. Tinged with arousal as his cock hardened between his legs at the thoughts flashing behind his eyes. “I’m here.”

There were a few seconds of silence then, “Are you… what’s wrong with your voice?”

“What do you think?” asked Qrow, before he could stop himself. He bit his lip, resisting the urge to reach down and grip himself. Stroke himself off knowing that James was less than a foot away, soaking wet and naked.

That thought _did_ make him moan and he heard James curse softly.

“Shit, that was hot,” said James, his own voice hoarse.

Qrow laughed. He leaned his forehead against the wall, fingers still splayed. “You ever had phone sex?”

“No,” said James. He sounded even closer now. Qrow shivered at the thought of James right up against him. “Seen it in porn though.”

“So naughty,” teased Qrow, the tone mostly lost in the hunger in his voice. “Same concept. Showers instead of phones.” He reached down and gripped himself, let a moan slip through his teeth as he stroked once. “You game?”

A soft groan slipped through the wall. “Yeah, I’m game.”

Qrow leaned further into the wall as he stroked himself. “How tall are you?”

“Six, six,” said James, his voice a gasp.

Qrow groaned. “ _Shit._ ” The image solidified around Qrow. James, taller, leaning down to kiss Qrow’s throat and neck and _oh._ “Six one,” said Qrow. “Pretty lean too.”

That got a moan from James. “Yeah? I’m pretty broad. Used to – _fuck_ – play football.” Another groan. “God I could probably wrap myself right around you.”

Qrow whined, unable to stop the sound. Broad and tall. That was just too much. He stroked faster, gripping himself tighter because now he _knew_ James had larger hands than him. Would they be smooth? Calloused?

A sharp “ha” slipped from his lips. “Tell me what you’d do to me,” said Qrow, his voice tight. Fire crackled up his spine and pooled between his legs.

“It’d be my shower,” said James. “It’s bigger, would fit us both. I’d put your back to the wall, wrap your legs around my waist.” His voice dipped into another moan.

“Yeah, I’d like that,” said Qrow. He could almost picture it too. His legs wrapped around warm, strong hips. “I’d hang on, pull your hair if you were into it.”

“ _Oh_.” James’ noise of surprise had Qrow moaning against the wall. The tiles fogged. “Yeah, yeah, okay.”

Qrow turned around, bracing his shoulders to the wall. He slipped his other hand down to fondle his balls, stroking the sensitive skin just behind them.

“Would you open me up, James?” asked Qrow. “Stretch me wide until I begged?”

 _“God_ , yes,” came James’ breathy reply. His voice kept dipping lower and hoarser. “Stretch you right open before I fuck you against the wall.”

“Pinned between you and the tiles – _hah_ – yeah, I can do that,” said Qrow. His voice was a gasp, loud enough for James still to here but no focus beyond that. “Hang on to you with both hands – _shit_ – you’d have to stroke me off.”

James moaned. Qrow’s hand stuttered. He could feel his end coming up fast. Felt the way his heart stuttered and sped up.

“Yeah, I would,” said James. “Anyway you liked it.”

Qrow moaned. “Hard and fast. Slow another time. Not the first.”

“Not the first,” agreed James. “Shit, _Qrow_ , I…”

Qrow laughed, “Yeah, me too.” He groaned again. Hips snapping up into his hand and entire body arching. His hand stuttered. James’ moans mixed with his own and Qrow whimpered, the noise like music to his ears. Like the songs they sung together with James’ low, low voice.

“James!” The shout came out of him before he could stop it. His orgasm washing over him in sharp, hot waves, as he spilled across his hand. Sharp pants that had Qrow’s chest heaving as he stroked himself through it.

Then, “Oh, _Qrow_.” And Qrow shuddered at James’ voice, at the soft moans that followed that signaled his own end. Qrow bit his lip to keep himself from whining again. God, that was too hot.

There were a minute where neither one said anything. Qrow struggled to get a hold of his breathing and could hear James doing the same.

“So,” said Qrow. “That was easily the hottest moment of my university career.”

James’ sharp laughter, warm and thick as syrup, answered his through the wall. Qrow caught himself smiling.

“That was pretty fantastic,” agreed James.

“We’re doing that again,” said Qrow. “Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” agreed James. There were a few seconds of silence. “Can I go to bed? I have to get up in five hours.”

Qrow winced. Ouch, that was going to bite James in the ass in the morning. “Sure thing. Night Jim, sleep well.”

“Goodnight, Qrow.” And for once, James didn’t protest the new nickname.

Qrow leaned against the wall and hummed contently, letting the shower clean him off. Raven was right, communication _was_ the key to any good relationship. He wondered if she’d meant it quite that way, though. Doubtful.

The next night was as fantastic as the first, and so was the night three days after that. Getting off together in the shower, talking about what they’d do to each other, became a common occurrence for the next month and a half. Qrow wasn’t sure what to think about what they were, but he knew that this… thing, this sex-through-the-shower-wall thing, wasn’t enough. He needed to see James. Needed to touch him.

He brought it up one night when they were both slumped against their respective walls, panting in the sound of the shower in the afterglow of their latest tryst.

“You know, I think, next time, we should do that in the _same_ shower,” said Qrow, trying to get his breathing under control.

James was silent.

“Jimmy?” called Qrow, wondering if he’d said the wrong thing. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” said James, softly. “I just… don’t think you want to see me naked,” said James, his voice just barely audible over the shower. Qrow frowned. James hadn’t sounded like _that_ before. All worried and fearful and high.

“Why not?” asked Qrow. “Come on, nothing’s going to turn me off. Even if you have awful hair, I promise.” He turned over and pressed his hand and forehead to the tiles, wishing he could touch James. Wishing he could kiss the man and tell him how he felt. This thing, between them, was too intense. The emotion behind it building with every day.

“You remember how I said I transferred universities, over the summer?” asked James.

“Yeah,” said Qrow.

“I, uh,” James’ voice was hesitant. “I was in a robotics accident, at the old one, a couple years ago.”

Qrow frowned. He let his fingers trail down the tiles. “Sooooo, scars?” he guessed. “Scars aren’t bad.” Not at all. Qrow’s hands were somewhat scarred from his days in the garage, and Tai had some nasty burn scars on his chest that never bothered Raven or Summer. A few scars wouldn’t turn him off.

“Among other things,” said James, his voice wry but sad all at once. Qrow frowned.

“Hey, you’re still you,” said Qrow. “And I promise that you’re much more beautiful than you think you are.”

“How can you tell?” asked James. His voice was tight, worried.

“Your voice, for one,” said Qrow. He tapped the tiles, smiling softly. “Your personality. Your brain. You’re one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met in my life. I want to know the face behind the voice. I wanna know what you actually look like, so I have something to fuel my fantasies.”

“Yeah?” echoed James. He laughed softly. “I think you’re better off with your imagination.”

“Doubtful,” said Qrow. “I mean, you’re still functional,” said Qrow. “Unless you were faking _that._ ” A soft laugh slipped from his throat. Then, he paused, thinking hard for a minute. “Unless… do you not have a dick? Because you’re still a man, regardless. It won’t bother me. I promise.” And it wouldn’t. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d… dated? Was that even what they were?

James let out a soft laugh, just barely above the noise of two showers. “No, no, I’m completely functional. And I uh, I do. Have a dick, I mean. I’m… cis? I think the term is.”

“Yeah,” said Qrow. “That’s it.” He’d learned it from Summer at some point during second year. There were a lot of things he’d learned about Summer in second year, when she’d broken down and confessed all her doubts to him.

Qrow shook his head and brought himself back to the present. “So, what’s the problem then?”

“It’s just easier this way,” said James, his voice tight. “It just is.”

“Okay,” said Qrow, his voice soothing. He stroked the tiles slowly, imagining he was stroking James’ back. Frowned. James was on the other side of that wall, separated only by a few inches of piping and bad insulation. It felt like an insurmountable chasm. “I still want to meet you, face to face, some day.”

“Someday,” agreed James. “I promise.”

“I’m holding you to that, Jim.”

That night, Qrow laid back on his bed, arms behind his head, and stared at the ceiling. Scars were nothing. James was… James. No matter what he looked like, Qrow would still love him.

Qrow froze as the thought occurred to him. _Love._ No, no, no. He couldn’t. He didn’t. It’d be _three months._

But he did. He absolutely fucking _did._ And this was the Branwen curse, wasn’t it? The curse to fall for people fast and hard, to be stuck swimming in the deep end without a life jacket. It’d happened to Raven, but that had worked out.

Could it work out with him?

Qrow hoped so. God, did he hope so. But first, he had to meet James, face to face. Just to be sure he wasn’t imagining all of this. Just to be sure all of this was real.

A week later, Qrow stumbled into the shower at his usual time. His entire body ached from the long day he’d had. His mind swam with thoughts of James. Thoughts of what they were and what they weren’t. Thoughts of why James didn’t want to meet him. Doubts about everything and anything surrounding the enigma that was _James._ It’d kept him up more than once that week. Made him stare at the ceiling and wonder if he’d imagined this whole thing.

The other shower was already going and Qrow heard the soft sounds of James jerking off across the wall. Qrow swallowed his fear and pulled it from his voice, even if his heart still stuttered at the noise.

“Couldn’t wait?” teased Qrow as he ducked under the spray.

James’ noises died down. He laughed, softly, instead. “Didn’t think I’d hear from you tonight, actually. Figured you’d be too tired after that exam of yours.”

Qrow smiled and leaned against the wall, head tilted back against the tile. “I’m never too tired to talk to you,” said Qrow. And it was the honest truth. He’d _wanted_ to sleep, but he’d also wanted to talk to James. And, in the end, talking to James won out every single time.

“I’m glad,” said James, a fondness in his voice that made Qrow’s chest tight. “So, how’d it go?”

Qrow laughed and leaned forward, letting the water fall over his head. “Fantastic. I think I aced it. Should boost my grade up in the class too.” He tilted his head to let the water run down his neck. “What about you, how’d your practical go today?”

“Good,” said James. “I had to find all the errors in a blueprint and I think I got them all. Plus a few more besides that were running on the old code system, not the new one.”

“Can’t have subpar work,” said Qrow. He swallowed and licked his lips. His breath felt tight in his throat and James’ every word.

“Not at all,” said James, and he sounded so serious that Qrow had to laugh. He heard James laugh as well and felt his heart pang again. He turned, splaying his hand against the tiles and resting his forehead on them as well. Closed his eyes against the sudden pain that enveloped him. It swallowed him whole. Doubts and fears and whispers of past conversations. The thought that James didn’t want to see him, maybe never wanted to see him, swam up in his mind.

The thought that maybe this was all fake. That maybe James didn’t care. That maybe he’d _never_ cared. Qrow bit his lip, hard, to ground himself, but the fear didn’t vanish.

Why wouldn’t James meet him? When had it become so _important_ to meet him? But Qrow knew the answer to the second question. Knew it very, very well.

Qrow was silent for a while, listening to the pour of their two showers. He didn’t even realize until he heard, “Qrow?” coming from the other shower.

Qrow sucked in a deep breath, his entire body shaking. A dozen emotions churned in turmoil beneath his skin, choking out his voice and leaving him gripping the slick tiles for support. “I need to see you,” he croaked. The words hung between them, naked in their desperation and want.

There was a long, terrible silence.

“Qrow, I don’t think…”

“ _Please_ ,” said Qrow. He’d never begged in his life. “Please, I need to know that this isn’t all some fever dream. That I’m not some game to you. I want to know if what we are is _real_.” A broken sound slipped from his lips. Every doubt he’d had for the last week – every fearful half imagined thought – swam to the surface at once. “I want to kiss you. Touch you. Hold you.” Another broken sound, this one closer to a sob. “I want to know who I’m falling for.”

The last words were a mistake, but it was too late to draw them back in.

“Okay,” came James’ reply, his voice as hoarse as Qrow had ever heard it. “Get dressed.”

Qrow had never got out of the shower faster in his life. He shut it off, dried off, and scrambled into his room, entire body shaking with excitement and fear. He threw on a t-shirt and some sweat pants before throwing open the door to his apartment. And then he froze, unsure of what to do. Slowly, he stepped out into the hallway and locked the door behind him, keys in his pocket. He shivered, the hallway cold in the late winter night.

The door next to his opened. A tall, broad man wearing a long sleeved shirt and lounge pants stepped out of the apartment. He turned to face Qrow and Qrow lost his breath. Blue, blue eyes. Taller and broader than him.

 _“James,”_ breathed Qrow. And the man, James, nodded.

“Yes,” said James, and it was with the voice that Qrow had memorized back when they’d first sung together in the shower.

Qrow grinned and took a step forward. He reached out with one hand shakily, unable to believe this was real. “Hi,” he breathed.

James smiled, also shaky. “Hi.”

Qrow stumbled the last few steps, feet catching on the carpet, and planted his hands on James’ chest. It was as firm as he’d imagined. He stared up that few inches difference and kept beaming, mouth shaking as he tried not to break down.

“You’re real,” said Qrow. He reached up and stroked James’ face. He had something like a third eyebrow, made of metal, above his right one. Qrow loved the way it caught the light. Loved the fluffy look of James’ black hair. The faint smile lines around his eyes, even at their age.

“You’re beautiful,” said Qrow. And this feeling, this tightness in his chest that made Qrow want to explode, this was _love_. He hadn’t been imagining things. He hadn’t been losing it. He was in love with this man, this beautiful, wonderful man who liked to volunteer at day cares and make extra lunches in case his classmates forgot to bring something to eat. This man who asked him about his day every time they met through that damnable wall.

This man who had been through so much with Qrow in the last few months. Who had said things to him that no one else ever did.

“Qrow?” murmured James, and Qrow realized he was crying. He blinked, wiping the tears from his eyes. “Are you all right?” His voice was warm and smooth as silk, even better in person. Qrow reached up and cupped James’ face, thumbs swiping across James’ warm, pink cheeks.

“Never been better,” said Qrow, honestly. He leaned up, drawing James down, and met James’ lips in their first kiss.

It was warm and soft and everything Qrow had imagined for so long. He dragged James closer, deepening the kiss. Shifted his arms to wrap them around James’ neck and press himself flush against James’ body. James’ arms snaked around his waist and drew Qrow even closer. He swiped his tongue over Qrow’s lower lip and Qrow moaned.

Something cold brushed Qrow’s hip as his shirt rode up. He blinked, drawing back from the kiss, and furrowed his brow at James.

“What…?” started Qrow, unsure how to finish the sentence.

James pulled his right arm from around Qrow and held it between them. The dim hallway lighting glinted faintly off the shining, metal hand. James wiggled his silvery fingers.

“Remember I said I was in an accident?” said James, his voice horribly vulnerable.

“You have prosthetics,” said Qrow, slowly.

James nodded. “A lot of them.” The words were hoarse, a confession. “If you don’t-”

Qrow cut him off by tangling his fingers with James’ silver ones. “They’re just as beautiful as you are,” said Qrow, firmly. “I want to see the rest.”

James swallowed visibly. “Okay,” he said. He pecked Qrow’s lips and used their joined hands to lead Qrow toward James’ apartment.

“Your place?” asked Qrow, one eyebrow raised.

James flushed. “I did say the first time would be in my shower,” he murmured. “It only seems appropriate, after all.”

Qrow grinned. “Yeah, it does.”

He followed James into the apartment, still reeling from the knowledge that this was _real_ , that James was _real_. That he could reach out and touch him and kiss him and it wasn’t just in his fantasies with smoky half-images and James’ voice.

The door to the apartment closed behind them and Qrow dragged James down for another kiss. James pressed him into the door and deepened the kiss, his hands sliding up the front of Qrow’s shirt. Qrow shivered as the cool, metal hand brushed his skin.

“Sorry,” murmured James against his lips.

“Don’t be, I love it,” Qrow said back. He shoved at James’ chest, walking him backward. “Shower.”

“Shower,” agreed James. He ducked around Qrow, pressing into his back, his hands on Qrow’s hips, and walked him to the bathroom.

Qrow was faintly aware that James’ apartment was a _lot_ nicer than his – cleaner too. And that was pretty evident when they reached the bathroom and Qrow realized James had a proper standing shower with a door, and not the shower-tub combo with the curtain Qrow had.

Mostly though, Qrow was distracted by the hands on his hips and the mouth on his throat. On the warmth and cold alternating from the man – the _real, solid, present_ man – behind him.

He moaned, head tilting back and hands reaching to grip James’ hair behind him. James walked him forward and turned him around, pressing him into the shower door and mouth pressing against his throat over and over again. Nipping and sucking and licking until Qrow’s collarbone and shoulders looked like the night sky on Independence Day, the forming bruises blooming into celebratory fireworks.

And god, if this wasn’t one hell of a celebration.

He whined again and wriggled free from James, grabbing at the man’s shirt to pull it up. Caught the freeze in James just as his fingers brushed cool metal.

“Extensive,” commented Qrow. James stared at him with fear-filled eyes. “How sensitive are they?”

“Same as the rest of my body,” said James. He seemed to falter under Qrow’s soft gaze and easy words. Qrow smiled and then slid his hands under the shirt. He hummed softly as his left one slid up metal. Saw the way James shivered.

“So you can feel this?” asked Qrow. He let his nails rake the metal as he stroked downward. James shuddered again, one hand moving to brace against the shower wall. “And this?” He slid his hand lower, tracing his hip. Realized it too was metal and rolled with it.

“Yes, _fuck_ , yes,” breathed James. His head tilted back. Qrow let his hands linger, unwilling to let go after so long of wondering. James smiled at down at him as he recovered. “Let’s get in that shower, shall we?”

Qrow swallowed hard and nodded. James let go of him, but Qrow kept his fingers hooked in James’ shirt as James leaned over and turned on the shower. With a smile, James came back around and cupped Qrow’s face, kissing him soundly. Qrow hummed and leaned into it, pressing against James.

“You’re certainly tactile,” murmured James as they pulled back.

“Just don’t wanna lose this,” said Qrow, softly.

James smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “You won’t,” he said. He kissed Qrow again. “You won’t.”

The shower started steaming and James stepped back. Qrow shucked his shirt, tossing it onto the floor and reached for his sweat pants. He hadn’t bothered with underwear, hadn’t thought he’d need it. When he looked up, he saw that James was staring at him, fingers lingering on the hem of his shirt.

“You won’t lose me either,” said Qrow. “I promise.”

James nodded, swallowed visibly, and peeled off his shirt. When he tossed it aside, Qrow sucked in a breath. The shining metal of James extended across his entire right side. Shoulder, arm, part of his collarbone, and the entire right half of his torso. Spider webs of scars spread out from the junction point of metal and flesh, spreading across his left side in faint white lines.

Qrow reached out and brushed the junction of metal and flesh. Let his fingers trail across the smooth, sometimes puckered, skin of the scars. He met James’ gaze and stepped in close, drawing him in for another kiss.

“Beautiful,” breathed Qrow against his lips. “You’re beautiful.”

James smiled at Qrow and rested their foreheads together. “You haven’t seen all of it,” murmured James. There was a slight worry in James’ tone, but his eyes were affectionate.

Qrow grinned. “Show me,” he said, nipping at James’ jaw.

James took a deep breath, stepped back, and shucked his pants. He, too, had foregone underwear, Qrow noticed. When James straightened, Qrow felt his mouth go dry. The metal prosthetics extended to his right hip, his entire right leg, and there were spider webs of metal and scar tissue reaching across to his left hip.

And between his legs, already half hard, was a silvery, metal cock.

Qrow swallowed again, mouth _painfully_ dry.

“Qrow?” asked James, the worry back in his voice.

“Jesus _Christ,_ ” breathed Qrow. “I want it in me.” James went scarlet, choking slightly on the air.

“You, I, uh,” started James.

Qrow shucked his own pants, stepped out of them, and pressed himself against James. “Tell me you have something,” said Qrow. “Because I need that in my body, right now.”

James nodded, still looking a little stunned.

“That as sensitive as it should be too?” asked Qrow.

James nodded. Qrow rolled their hips together and both of them moaned. Qrow’s raspier and James’ much lower. Qrow shivered at the voice he’d come to love. At the breath that ghosted his jaw.

“Get in the shower, I have to grab the lube,” said James, his voice low and throaty. Qrow shuddered again at the sound. God, that was so much better in person.

He detangled himself from James, a little sad at the loss of contact, and slipped under the shower spray. It was warm, and the pressure was much better than his own shower. He tilted his head back, letting the spray wash down his throat and stomach.

James stepped in behind him, closing the door and holding up the small bottle of lube. Qrow grinned and tilted his head, letting James pepper more marks into his skin. Hummed at the contact and warm water.

“Turn around,” murmured James in his ear. Qrow did and wound his arms around James’ neck. Dragged him in for a hot, open-mouthed kiss. Tongues chasing each other around the other’s mouths and mouths slick with spit and water as they pulled back. Both of them panting.

“You remember how we wanted to do this?” asked James, his voice low.

Qrow remembered like it was yesterday. “My legs around your waist,” said Qrow. He sucked a mark into the flesh half of James’ collarbone. “You pinning me to the wall.”

“Opening you up until you beg,” breathed James. He groped Qrow with his metal hand. Qrow swore quietly.

“You stroking me because I can’t stroke myself,” said Qrow. He nipped at James’ throat. “ _Hell yes,_ I remember it. Dreamt about it.”

“Me too,” said James, softly. “Me too.” He dragged Qrow in for another kiss and walked Qrow backward into the wall their showers shared. Qrow moaned, thinking about all the times James had probably leaned against this wall. How many times had he gotten off with Qrow only a foot away?

Qrow pressed his back into the wall and used the leverage to swing his legs up and around James’ waist. Wriggled until their hips were level and he could kiss James’ breathless. He wrapped his arms around James’ neck to hold himself up and let James press him more firmly into the cool tiles.

“Ready?” asked James.

“Been ready for months,” said Qrow, a little breathless. James popped the cap on the bottle he was holding and reached between himself and Qrow to pour it over his metal fingers.

“Do you mind?” asked James.

Qrow groaned, a little mesmerized. “I get the dick _and_ the fingers? Jim, you spoil me.”

James flushed again, the red working its way up his neck and ears. “How can anyone be so perfect about this?” he asked.

Qrow grinned. “Guess I’m special.”

James kissed his nose. “Yeah, you are,” he said, and then he pressed the first finger inside Qrow and Qrow _keened_. He wriggled onto James’ hand, fingers digging tight into James’ shoulders as the singular finger worked inside him. God, it’d been too long since he’d done this, even to himself. But he couldn’t, not when he didn’t know what James’ fingers were like. Not when he didn’t know their size or shape or firmness.

And the cool metal? Fuck, he never could have predicted that. But god if it wasn’t a more than welcome surprise.

“You all right?” asked James. He pressed a kiss to Qrow’s forehead. Qrow whined and wriggled back against James’ hand. Pressed a kiss to James’ lips and then another, then dragged his teeth along James’ lower lip.

“Keep going,” said Qrow against his lips. “I won’t break.”

“Doesn’t mean I don’t want this to last,” said James. He slipped a second finger in Qrow, the slow stretch making Qrow shiver and shake with anticipation. The two worked inside him, scissoring and stretching while Qrow cried out and buried his face into James’ neck. They were a lot thicker than his own, and god, they were perfect.

“Just perfect,” murmured Qrow. He tightened his grip, fingers digging into James’ shoulder blades.

“Good,” said James. He kissed Qrow’s head. The third finger danced around his entrance, almost playful, before it joined the others. Qrow whimpered. His aching cock leaked between the two, pressed tight between their stomachs. The other hand was pressed against Qrow’s hip, warm and solid.

Qrow hissed out a breath as the fingers crooked. They brushed and twitched before finding that perfect spot inside him. Then Qrow keened again, his entire body shaking and shivering against that delightfully cool hand.

“James,” moaned Qrow. “James, please.” When had he picked up begging? But then, hadn’t they said he was going to beg? He could do it. Easily.

“I’ve got you, I’ve got you,” murmured James. He kissed Qrow’s head again, fingers slipping out and leaving Qrow feeling empty and a little lost. “Um. I don’t have…”

Qrow leaned back to look at James. “I’m clean, and I doubt your dick can carry anything.”

“I haven’t had sex since the accident,” said James, drily. There was a spark in his eyes that Qrow took as amusement. “And I’m clean as well, anyway.” Qrow nodded.

“You need to lean back for this part,” said James.” Qrow nodded again and leaned back, letting the wall take the majority of his weight as his arms slid until they were stretched out. He lifted his hips as high as he could, putting him above James’ belly button. James released Qrow’s hip to pour more lube onto his shining metal fingers. The hand disappeared under Qrow and Qrow felt James’ hips shift as he slicked himself up.

James’ eyes fluttered. “Oh,” he said, softly, neck flushing.

“Hey,” said Qrow, playfully squeezing his shoulder. “I think we’ve done that enough, don’t you?” asked Qrow. James smiled and nodded.

“I suppose we have. Shall we?” asked James. Qrow nodded and lifted his hips the tiniest bit further. With one hand still under Qrow, James replaced his left hand on Qrow’s hip and guided him down. The first brush of James’ cock missed and Qrow bit his lip to fight a laugh. The second one did as well. Qrow started laughing then, leaning forward to rest his head against James’ shoulder.

“I can’t exactly see,” said James, but he was laughing too.

“Here,” said Qrow. “Hold me up, I can do it.” James’ metal hand slipped up and took Qrow’s hip. Now both were held, one cool, one warm. Qrow shivered. He took one hand off James’ shoulder and slipped it under them, grasped James’ cool, slippery cock and guided himself down onto it, biting his lower lip.

As James’ cock slid in, a low moan slipped out of Qrow. It didn’t stop until he lowered himself completely. And that’s when something else occurred to Qrow.

“You don’t have balls,” he blurted, realizing why he wasn’t brushing them despite bottoming out.

James’ neck flushed deeper, the blush crawling up onto his face. “Lost them in the accident.”

“You don’t shoot,” said Qrow. His voice was tight as he tried not to give it to the urge to just ride James until they both screamed.

“No. That a problem?” asked James. His face was pinched with concentration, his hands quivering on Qrow’s hips.

Qrow wrapped his arms more firmly around James’ neck, letting his fingers play with the hairs at the base. “Not at all,” said Qrow. “Should be obvious, I think.”

James chuckled and leaned forward, nipping at Qrow’s throat. “Should be,” he agreed. He pressed his lips tightly together as Qrow clenched around him, trying to get comfy. “Qrow?” His voice was as tight as his expression.

Qrow took a deep breath. “You said you were gonna fuck me, James. So _fuck me,_ ” he breathed, lips ghosting James’. James moaned, low in his throat, and pressed Qrow back against the shower wall. Water sluiced over him, making his hair hang in his eyes and splattering droplets across Qrow’s chest.

Then, he braced one hand against the wall, drew back his hips, Qrow’s off the wall and shoulders pressed into it, and thrust back in. Qrow keened. He scrambled and started rolling his own hips, riding James as best he could at this angle.

The thrusts were shallow, sharp, and not enough. Qrow scrambled for purchase and groaned again. He needed _more_ and this wasn’t going to be enough, even if they both wanted it. They’d wanted it this way, but until Qrow got more practice riding this damned tree of a man, they need to switch positions.

“Hang on,” murmured Qrow. “Hang on.” James stopped, body shaking.

“You okay?” asked James, his brow pinched in worry.

Qrow nodded. “We need to switch positions, help me up.” James grabbed Qrow’s hips and helped lift Qrow off James’ cock. Qrow hissed at the loss, already wanting it back. He put his feet down and turned around, bracing his hands against the shower wall. He threw a grin over his shoulder.

“All right, now get back here,” said Qrow, cheekily. James nodded, pupils dilated so far that his eyes looked black, and folded himself against Qrow. Spread Qrow’s legs as far as they could go and slipped in between Qrow’s cheeks. Qrow groaned as James’ cock slid back in, pressing back into the touch as James pressed forward.

“Good?” asked James.

“Hell yeah,” breathed Qrow. “Come on, let’s go.” James chuckled against his throat.

“You have no patience, do you?” he asked.

Qrow grinned. “Nope,” he replied, popping the “p”. James hummed against Qrow’s throat, hands on his hips. Then, he was drawing back and thrusting back in, hard and deep and everything the last position wasn’t. Qrow arched into the touch, head thrown back and mouth open in a loud, throaty moan.

James’ mouth was on his throat, biting down. His hands gripped Qrow’s hips, just shy of hard enough to bruise.

“Oh, James,” panted Qrow. His cock bobbed in front of him, but he didn’t dare take his hands off the wall for fear of falling forward. Of losing his grip. James bit down again. His thrusts shook Qrow to his core. Sent lightning skittering up his spine and shooting down his legs. Pooled it in his gut and let the touch trace across the rest of his body. His entire body flushed. Every inch of him alive and screaming with want and hunger and need.

His cock ached. Pre-come formed at the tip and Qrow couldn’t even touch it. Knew he’d fall if he did. “James, touch me,” he said. “Please, touch me.”

He didn’t have to ask twice. James’ right hand slid forward, wrapping itself around the base of Qrow’s cock. He stroked in time with his thrusts and Qrow had to close his eyes to keep himself from losing it. Closed his eyes and let the feeling wash over him as James just barely brushed that spot inside him. Warmth and hunger and _contentment_. Pleasure that sparked his veins and ignited at every point of contact.

He whimpered, the heat building at the base of his cock. James’ hand picked up speed, his thrusts growing more erratic. He panted wetly into Qrow’s neck, having given up biting at it.

“Qrow,” murmured James. Water dripped down Qrow’s back, warm and slow.

“I know,” said Qrow, and god, did he. So close, yet so far. “I know.” Then, he let out a sharp whine as James shifted slightly and found that spot in him again. As it ignited a whole new set of feelings across his body. As the heat his a crescendo and screamed inside Qrow. Qrow screamed with it, a sharp, cry that slipped without him wanting to.

“Ah, haha!” Tears gathered in the corner of his eyes. It was too much. The brush of James against his prostate was near constant. The hand on his cock was cool and solid and _fast._ Pleasure so intense it was almost painful exploded up his body. Begging, pleading, for release.

Qrow found it. Came shouting hoarsely into James’ hand and against the shower wall. His hips kept snapping back to meet James’ thrusts, each over-sensitive push sending a new wave of pleasure-pain skittering through his body.

“ _Qrow_ ,” moaned James. His thrusts stumbled and shifted. Sharp and shallow. Every one of them sent twitches to Qrow’s oversensitive cock. He whimpered, body arching as James’ thrusts fumbled one last time and he came, biting down hard on Qrow’s shoulder. His hips stuttered and slow as he rode it out, and eventually stopped.

They stood there, James pressed against Qrow’s back, for a few long minutes. The shower still steamed around them. Eventually, Qrow got his breathing under control. Eventually, he let out a soft chuckle, leaning back into the brush of James’ hair against his cheek.

“Hi,” said Qrow, the laughter heavy in his voice.

James chuckled against his shoulder, still breathless. “Hi,” he said, lifting his head far enough to press a kiss to Qrow’s cheek. “So, that was incredible.”

“You’re telling me,” said Qrow. “And I thought the shower wall sex was good.”

James laughed again, softer this time. “Mm, this was better.” Water splattered James’ hair and shoulders.

“Much,” agreed Qrow. He hummed. Then, slowly, he pulled himself forward, letting James’ cock slide out of him. He turned around and wrapped his arms around James’ neck, drawing him in for a soft kiss. James hummed against his lips. They rested their foreheads together, water dripping down their noses, when they pulled back. Grinned at each other with flushed cheeks and dilated pupils.

“When do you have classes tomorrow?” asked James.

Qrow thought about it. With exam season ending that would be… “About eleven,” he said.

James kissed his nose. “Good,” he said. “Mine start at noon.” He leaned around Qrow and turned off the shower. Slowly peeled himself off Qrow and opened the door to step out into the rest of the bathroom. Qrow leaned back against the wall, his knees still like jello, and closed his eyes.

There were a few seconds of silence, wherein Qrow just enjoyed the warmth and contentment humming in his bones. Then, a towel fell on his head and Qrow opened his eyes, squinting. James was standing in front of him, a towel wrapped around his waist. He rubbed the towel in Qrow’s hair, drying him off. Then it slid down onto his shoulders, then down his chest, then onto his hips, where James wrapped it around his waist and tucked it so it would stay up.

“Think you can walk?” asked James. Qrow hummed, sleepiness tugging at his bones, and followed James out of the shower. They stepped over their discarded clothes, passed the fogged out mirror, and left the bathroom.

The apartment was a lot cooler than the bathroom and Qrow shivered, backing up into James’ warm left side. James slipped his arm around Qrow and guided him through another door and into his bedroom.

“Stay?” asked James, as though it was a question that needed answering at all. There was a hint of worry in his voice, and Qrow couldn’t understand that in the least. He turned around and wound his arms around James’ neck, drawing him in for a soft kiss peppered with softer laughter.

He walked backward until his legs hit the bed and let himself fall back, bringing James with him. James laughed and climbed over Qrow, tugging Qrow up until they laid properly against the pillows. Qrow curled himself against James’ right side, dragging his fingers across the junction and the scars.

“Tomorrow,” said James. “We’re going to have breakfast and talk.”

“And do that again,” said Qrow, his voice soft with sleep. He snuggled close into James’ cool shoulder.

James laughed. “That too. We do need to figure out what we are, though, Qrow.”

“We’ve basically been dating for the last couple months, James,” said Qrow, drily. “Or didn’t you notice that our shower meetings were basically coffee dates, sans coffee?”

James smiled and kissed Qrow’s head. “I suppose you’re right. And you’re… okay with that?”

“I am _fantastic_ with that,” said Qrow. James chuckled again.

“All right, dating it is,” said James. He kissed Qrow’s cheek. “I’m more than happy to call myself your boyfriend, my Qrow.”

Qrow shivered at the affection and the possessive and curled himself deeper into James’ arms. “Your Qrow,” he echoed. “I like that.”

“So do I,” said James. “Now let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow, I’ll make us both breakfast.”

“And we can fuck in a bed this time, not the shower,” said Qrow.

James laughed. “Sounds like a plan,” he said. And he drew the blankets up over the both of them, tossed their towels to the floor, and wrapped his arm around Qrow as Qrow snuggled close to sleep.

And Qrow knew that even if the words hadn’t passed between them explicitly, James felt the same way. But they had all the time in the world for words, for kisses, and for talking. They’d spent months just being voices. Now it was time to just… be.

And Qrow was perfectly content with that.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Tumblr!](anipendragon.tumblr.com)


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